Over the past few months, demands for skincare company Neutrogena to address an accusation made by Hayden Panettiere in May have been steadily increasing.
These calls intensified following the actor’s recent passing.
Neutrogena has now issued a statement on Instagram in response to these growing concerns.
In the Instagram post, which does not allow for comments, Neutrogena did not delve into the specifics of why their long-term collaboration with Panettiere came to an end or directly address the claim that it was related to her discussions about postpartum depression.
The company acknowledged, “We are proud to have collaborated with her and recognize that we may have made her feel unsupported during a challenging period. This does not align with Neutrogena’s values or identity.”
The Allegation
Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes, Bring it On: All or Nothing, and Nashville, served as a global brand ambassador for Neutrogena from 2005 to 2015.
In late 2014, following the birth of her daughter, she appeared on Live with Kelly and Michael in 2015, openly discussing her battle with postpartum depression.
Shortly after this, her partnership with Neutrogena came to an end.
During an interview with Jay Shetty on his podcast On Purpose in May, Panettiere alleged that Neutrogena had attempted to terminate her contract due to her 2015 remarks using the contract’s morality clause.
She recounted, “My representative at the time said, ‘That’s illegal, you can’t do that,’ and even though … she saved the day that year, I knew that … I was not going to be invited back [to represent Neutrogena] the next year.”
Fans and co-stars mourned the death of 36-year-old actor Hayden Panettiere, best known for roles in Heroes and Nashville. Police are investigating the cause of her death, but said there are no signs of foul play.
Panettiere expressed that she never received any communication from the company following the 2015 incident.
“It made me realize and understand exactly what people thought of women who experience postpartum depression and how misunderstood it is, how much stigma there is around it,” she shared with Shetty.
The Backlash
Fans initiated a boycott against Neutrogena following the release of the podcast episode. One beauty influencer even used excerpts from the podcast in a video labeled “Neutrogena hates women!”
In the wake of Panettiere’s passing, fans are once again expressing their discontent.
For the last three days, they have been inundating Neutrogena’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DcG3mH3